“Haruto is right,” Keishin said. “Running blindly from the Shiikuin is not going to help us find your parents.”
“This is my house, and I will decide who can stay and who cannot,” Masako said. “Hana may stay, but I will not have anoutsider sleep under my roof. He will be just as safe in the inn as he will be in this house.”
“I will go with him,” Hana said.
“No,” Keishin said. “You should stay here. Haruto needs you. If any of us comes up with any ideas about what the Shiikuin meant about your mother’s punishment, we can regroup.”
“Kei…”
“It’s all right, Hana,” Keishin said. “It’s for the best. I need some time alone to think.”
“About what?”
Keishin glanced from Haruto to Hana. “Everything.”
—
The bowl of okayu warmed Hana’s hands, stirring memories of the days when her father made the watery rice porridge for her when she was sick. He liked to serve it with eggs and sweet potatoes. Masako topped the dinner she had made for Haruto with a pickled plum. Hana scooped a spoonful of the porridge for Haruto. He waved it away.
“You need to eat something to get your strength back,” Hana said.
“I’m not hungry.”
“Just one spoonful?” Hana said. “Please?”
Haruto sighed. “Just one.”
Hana fed him the porridge.
“You do not need to take care of me, Hana.”
“I want to.” Hana dabbed his lips with a soft cloth.
“Do you?”
“Of course I do.”
“You did not even want to be here.” Haruto lay down. “You wanted to be with Keishin.”
“Because he’s a stranger here. I was worried about him staying at the inn by himself.”
Haruto stared up at the ceiling. “Is that the only reason?”
“What other reason would I have?”
“You care for him.”
“Yes,” Hana said. “As a friend.”
“Just as you care for me,” Haruto said. “As a friend.”
Hana gently placed her hands over his. “My dearest and oldest friend.”
“We will be married in one month, Hana.”
“I…know.” Hana had pushed the date into the back of her mind. Since Keishin had arrived, she’d found herself shoving it deeper.
“And you do not love me yet.”
